I wonder if Uber and Lyft arepaying the fully load costs of their service in terms of compensation, regulatory fees or if the costs are being subsidized by investors. If their service is so great, then passengers should be paying the fully loaded costs.

The popularity of Uber and Lyft is increasing traffic in big cities and driving people away from public transportation.New research from the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies released on Wednesday details how public transportation is used less when U.S. residents in major cities adopted ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft. Many trips that could be made by foot, bicycle or via public transit are now made by ride-hailing services.As a result, city roads are becoming more congested.Because people gravitated toward ride-hailing from other transportation modes, the authors conclude that ride-hailing is contributing to more vehicle miles being driven in major cities.For people who began to use ride-hailing services, their public transit use was reduced 6%, according to the study. Although it revealed a reduction in bus service and light rail use following the use of Lyft and Uber, an uptick in commuter rail service occurred. It's unclear why.The study surveyed more than 4,000 people in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seatlte and San Francisco between 2014 and 2016."Everyone is still working to figure out how to get the benefits of [ride-hailing services] and managing the problematic aspects," said Bruce Schaller, a transportation consultant who has documented how ride-hailing has increased traffic in New York City. "The fact is people are often paying more than they paid before to get around, so it must be [working well] on an individual level. The issue is to make sure it works for the city and the society as a whole."It takes a lot more space on the road to transport a person in a car, compared to a bus, bicycle or subway system. If citizens continue to gravitate toward ride-hailing, there will be increased strain on areas that are at or near capacity, the study suggests.

Followgabe klein @gabe_kleinThis is extremely well done, it's just geometry people:7:04 PM - Aug 15, 2015 · Sydney, New South Wales 58 58 Replies 2,513 2,513 Retweets 1,958 1,958 likesTwitter Ads info and privacyIn response to the study, a Lyft spokesperson told CNN Tech the company will focus on increasing occupancy in cars and working with transit agencies to provide efficient, affordable transportation options to make car ownership a thing of the past.Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Related: How free self-driving car rides could change everythingA big question in the transportation world is whether ride-hailing services will complement or replace public transportation. Some previous research has shown ride-hailing is a complement to existing systems.According to Schaller, if the convenience and reliability of ride-hailing motivates public transportation systems to improve their services, that's a good thing for cities. But if government leaders and the public see less of a need for it amid growth from companies like Uber and Lyft, it'll only add to the congestion problem."People need to be able to move in cities in a way that they're able to enjoy their activities that doesn't completely clog our streets," Regina Clewlow, the report's author, told CNN Tech.Clewlow highlighted several ways to improve mobility in the ride-hailing era, including congestion pricing and priority lanes for high-occupancy vehicles.She also stressed the importance of cities receiving more data from mobility companies, so that they aren't planning transportation in the dark.

greenville wrote:With Uber the driver knows the destination when they start the trip. With Lyft it is the driver arrives st the pick up location for regular rides.

Say again? I'm not following. In the past, neither Uber nor Lyft knew the destination until they picked you up. It does appear that's changed with Lyft though, but then again that could be because I always opt for group rides.

I haven't taken Uber in ages. It seems Lyft is now significantly cheaper. Then again, I don't use the service very often any more.

greenville wrote:LYFT has introduced scheduled ride service where drivers are told where you are headed and at what time to pick you up before the trip happens even if it's a couple of days away. I highly recommend this if you're headed to NYC since a lot of drivers cancel NYC trips due to been NJ drivers. But with this you will most likely get a NYC TLC Uber who will gladly go into the city. Unlike before where a driver was matched to you 5 minutes prior to the requested time, the driver is told couple of hours before the trip happens so that they can set a time in their schedule to pick you up. Use code JCLIST for $10 ride credit on your first ride!

Maybe a stupid question but when you book the ride you enter a destination. Doesn't the driver already know this when he agrees to pick u up?

As I said those going to LGA or JFK please use this feature so that you get a driver that wants go to NY. Or the next best thing call a regular cab company as they have flat rates to the airport (no surge pricing).

That's a good idea. Yes, a lot of drivers will cancel or are not prepared to into the city. I had to go into the city early Sat. morning, didn't want to deal with the PATH since it always seems it's a disaster early weekend mornings. (Plus, the fact it was pouring out was a factor). So, I ordered a lyft to get me there quicker.

The guy picks me up, didn't have EZ Pass, so he had to stop at an ATM to get cash to go through the Holland Tunnel. I offered to pay but there was no way to back out the toll payment from the fare already charged.

I was shocked that this guy didn't have EZ Pass even if he doesn't like going in the city with all the toll roads around here. Plus, it would be cheaper for them too since the tunnels are discounted if you use EZ Pass...I just shook my head.

Hopefully this helps...

Quote:

greenville wrote:LYFT has introduced scheduled ride service where drivers are told where you are headed and at what time to pick you up before the trip happens even if it's a couple of days away. I highly recommend this if you're headed to NYC since a lot of drivers cancel NYC trips due to been NJ drivers. But with this you will most likely get a NYC TLC Uber who will gladly go into the city. Unlike before where a driver was matched to you 5 minutes prior to the requested time, the driver is told couple of hours before the trip happens so that they can set a time in their schedule to pick you up. Use code JCLIST for $10 ride credit on your first ride!

LYFT has introduced scheduled ride service where drivers are told where you are headed and at what time to pick you up before the trip happens even if it's a couple of days away. I highly recommend this if you're headed to NYC since a lot of drivers cancel NYC trips due to been NJ drivers. But with this you will most likely get a NYC TLC Uber who will gladly go into the city. Unlike before where a driver was matched to you 5 minutes prior to the requested time, the driver is told couple of hours before the trip happens so that they can set a time in their schedule to pick you up. Use code JCLIST for $10 ride credit on your first ride!

Annod wrote:I thought the advantage of using Uber is that we don't have to tip.

I'll preface this by saying that tipping is always voluntary though customary for many services.

Uber has not been transparent about tipping and led customers to believe that a tip was included in the fare. It took me a year for me to realize this wasn't true -- a driver had a sign in the back seat that tipping is appreciated. That led to a discussion and to my awareness that the tip is not included. I am totally with the Uber drivers with adding a page to the app for a tip, just like Lyft. Under the present system, a tip can only be left in cash.

ladybert wrote:Anyway, I'm not really a fan of Lyft and Uber seems to be surging at times I need it or just generally expensive. My friend turned me on to Gett, a totally similar app except it gives you a flat rate. The promo code helps a lot - I took a late night ride from Ridgewood Queens to Downtown for $37.

Anyway, I'm not really a fan of Lyft and Uber seems to be surging at times I need it or just generally expensive. My friend turned me on to Gett, a totally similar app except it gives you a flat rate. The promo code helps a lot - I took a late night ride from Ridgewood Queens to Downtown for $37.

Nah... Uber is playing the long game. They can afford to operate at a loss because of their very deep pockets that have benefitted from massive capital backing. They will continue to push into the autonomous car segment pushing research and innovation, while also battling Lyft and other competitors. Amazon ran major deficits for well over a decade, almost 20 years really, and it has done just fine.

That's Amazon, but Uber will go bankrupt. The investors will get screwed but the people who run the company won't as they are setting this to happen so that the company goes under, eliminates its debts, then they buy back the stock at a low price, and Uber is then bought by another company and moves into driveless cars. Oh thanks to all you who tip, since you will get 5 stars from the drivers it's always faster for you to get a ride due to your customer rating.

Oh, yeah... I forgot you are the former Uber driver with an axe to grind.

Nice (conspiracy) theory you got there, buddy. Despite the fantasy you are selling here, the story behind Uber and its cash reserves is well documented. With over $15 billion cash on hand, they can continue to lose 3 - 4 billion a year and make it past 2020 without problems.

Nah... Uber is playing the long game. They can afford to operate at a loss because of their very deep pockets that have benefitted from massive capital backing. They will continue to push into the autonomous car segment pushing research and innovation, while also battling Lyft and other competitors. Amazon ran major deficits for well over a decade, almost 20 years really, and it has done just fine.

That's Amazon, but Uber will go bankrupt. The investors will get screwed but the people who run the company won't as they are setting this to happen so that the company goes under, eliminates its debts, then they buy back the stock at a low price, and Uber is then bought by another company and moves into driveless cars. Oh thanks to all you who tip, since you will get 5 stars from the drivers it's always faster for you to get a ride due to your customer rating.

Oh, yeah... I forgot you are the former Uber driver with an axe to grind.

Nice (conspiracy) theory you got there, buddy. Despite the fantasy you are selling here, the story behind Uber and its cash reserves is well documented. With over $15 billion cash on hand, they can continue to lose 3 - 4 billion a year and make it past 2020 without problems.

Nah... Uber is playing the long game. They can afford to operate at a loss because of their very deep pockets that have benefitted from massive capital backing. They will continue to push into the autonomous car segment pushing research and innovation, while also battling Lyft and other competitors. Amazon ran major deficits for well over a decade, almost 20 years really, and it has done just fine.

That's Amazon, but Uber will go bankrupt. The investors will get screwed but the people who run the company won't as they are setting this to happen so that the company goes under, eliminates its debts, then they buy back the stock at a low price, and Uber is then bought by another company and moves into driveless cars. Oh thanks to all you who tip, since you will get 5 stars from the drivers it's always faster for you to get a ride due to your customer rating.

Oh, yeah... I forgot you are the former Uber driver with an axe to grind.

Nice (conspiracy) theory you got there, buddy. Despite the fantasy you are selling here, the story behind Uber and its cash reserves is well documented. With over $15 billion cash on hand, they can continue to lose 3 - 4 billion a year and make it past 2020 without problems.

Nah... Uber is playing the long game. They can afford to operate at a loss because of their very deep pockets that have benefitted from massive capital backing. They will continue to push into the autonomous car segment pushing research and innovation, while also battling Lyft and other competitors. Amazon ran major deficits for well over a decade, almost 20 years really, and it has done just fine.

That's Amazon, but Uber will go bankrupt. The investors will get screwed but the people who run the company won't as they are setting this to happen so that the company goes under, eliminates its debts, then they buy back the stock at a low price, and Uber is then bought by another company and moves into driveless cars. Oh thanks to all you who tip, since you will get 5 stars from the drivers it's always faster for you to get a ride due to your customer rating.

Nah... Uber is playing the long game. They can afford to operate at a loss because of their very deep pockets that have benefitted from massive capital backing. They will continue to push into the autonomous car segment pushing research and innovation, while also battling Lyft and other competitors. Amazon ran major deficits for well over a decade, almost 20 years really, and it has done just fine.

Yes I have noticed the sudden increase in traffic too. It really occurred the last 2 months. In the past I could roughly correlate this to the economy (1998-1999 and 2006-2007 were the most congested) but this year I am not sure.

WhoElseCouldIBe wrote:If the driver's convictions were for nonviolent crimes, who cares?

Well if I'm taking a ride with a stranger who didn't go through an interview to get the job I would certainly want them to have a clean criminal record, or to get trained on rules and regulations of operating as a taxi, or a vehicle inspection to make sure the vehicle is not falling apart. But cheap asses like you would ride with Charles Manson himself if it meant you got a cheap ride. I wonder when Uber is going to get rid of the subsidies they are currently offering to drivers during rush hour, $2.40 for a fare with a subsidy is ridicoulous and without it not even ex convicts will drive for that.

WhoElseCouldIBe wrote:If the driver's convictions were for nonviolent crimes, who cares?

Well if I'm taking a ride with a stranger who didn't go through an interview to get the job I would certainly want them to have a clean criminal record, or to get trained on rules and regulations of operating as a taxi, or a vehicle inspection to make sure the vehicle is not falling apart. But cheap asses like you would ride with Charles Manson himself if it meant you got a cheap ride. I wonder when Uber is going to get rid of the subsidies they are currently offering to drivers during rush hour, $2.40 for a fare with a subsidy is ridicoulous and without it not even ex convicts will drive for that.

greenville wrote:WhoElseCouldIBe They have solved the problem of drivers like me complaining by getting "better" qualified candidates and lowering vehicle standards to allow hoopties. And yes this applies to NJ.

greenville wrote:Wow, you can afford to live in downtown but you can't afford to tip a driver?! Here is a story of a driver who work 60 hours and only netted $350 (driver does not get vacation time or matching ss wages on that either). Uber won't put a psa since it will be bad for business and the bottomline since they paying for slave labor.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUXHMsqj2Go&t=288s

Do you tip your gas station attendant? Your cashier?

Why not? Can't afford it?

Yer goddam right, I almost always give those poor bastards a dollar with my credit car when I fill up, a lousy freakin' dollar on a $30-35 tank of gas is nothing and they are always thankful and attentive.